Helen Haines (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move amendments (8) and (9), as circulated in my name, together:

(8) Clause 177, page 144 (line 19), before "to review", insert "at least once every 12 months,".

(9) Clause 177, page 144 (after line 30), after subclause (2), insert:

(2A) If:

(a) in a report mentioned in paragraph (1)(g), the Committee makes a recommendation in relation to the NACC's finances and resources; and

(b) the Minister decides not to follow the recommendation;

then:

(c) the Minister must prepare a written statement of reasons for the decision not to follow the recommendation; and

(d) the Minister must cause a copy of the statement of reasons to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sittings days of that House after making the decision.

These amendments enhance budgetary transparency and oversight of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Around Australia, anticorruption commissions have been starved of adequate funding. Even the threat of funding cuts could have a silencing effect on anticorruption commissions' capacity to undertake investigations. This is incredibly important as we set up this National Anti-Corruption Commission to last into future. We want to ensure that governments to come absolutely must provide transparency about the funding required to run an effective anticorruption commission

This amendment will also require the minister to table a statement of reasons if they deviate from the recommendations of the National Anti-Corruption Commission joint select oversight committee in relation to the budget. The amendment provides an additional layer of oversight and transparency over the National Anti-Corruption Commission's budget by requiring the government of the day to respond to a report regarding the adequacy of the NACC's budget. This not only is important for the corruption commission itself but, again, speaks to transparency and what the public needs to see. The public must have the opportunity to see whether the government is following its own oversight committee's recommendation regarding NACC funding and for the government to justify reasons if it chooses not to follow those recommendations.

My amendments also require the parliamentary joint committee to review the Anti-Corruption Commission's budget every 12 months. This amendment will ensure regular review of the NACC's budgets and prevent the powerful budget oversight power from going unused. Again, I put these amendments forward in good faith for protection into the future. We may not always have a government who wishes to see a powerful anticorruption commission succeed. These amendments will ensure that the review function is used and will give the public and this parliament the chance to scrutinise the government's decisions in relation to funding requests. This is extremely important. We need to make sure that this National Anti-Corruption Commission is fully independent and powerful. Having adequate funding to undertake its work is absolutely central to that. Thank you.

See this speech in context